Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which grants for business and industry are regulated at the business park, Askeaton, County Limerick. [19288/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Askeaton business park is a Shannon Development owned land bank, comprising approximately 227 acres. Responsibility for grant assistance to companies locating at the business park is an operational matter for the relevant development agencies. IDA Ireland is the national agency with statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment, FDI, to Ireland and its regions, while Shannon Development is responsible for indigenous industry in the mid-west area.

IDA may provide financial assistance for companies wishing to locate in Ireland or expand their existing operations in Ireland. The unique characteristics of any proposed project will determine the incentive package available, in particular its location. IDA evaluates potential projects through a process of negotiation. Grants are bound by the same Irish legislation, EU state aid rules, and IDA Ireland policies as would apply in any other location in the mid-west region. The main criteria applied to determine the availability of incentives include the quality of employment created and the location chosen within Ireland. The types of grants available include employment grants, research and development grants, training grants and capital grants.

Shannon Development may provide financial assistance for indigenous companies that meet eligibility criteria and are subject to a rigorous evaluation procedure. Performance against any targets set out in the legal agreement between Shannon Development and a company are also carefully monitored to ensure compliance with agreed business targets.

Both IDA Ireland and Shannon Development are actively marketing the park for new investment and jobs; in particular the agencies are promoting the park as an attractive location for new projects from the pharmaceutical and chemical sector. Ultimately decisions regarding where to locate a project, including what areas to visit as potential locations, are taken by investors.

The Askeaton area has a good mix of Irish industry and FDI, with some major multinational corporations such as Wyeth and Aughinish Alumina Limited located in the area. I understand that the business park has been identified as an important site from a business and employment perspective for both the county and the region in the planning and land use transportation study, the mid-west regional planning guidelines and in the draft county development plan. I am confident that the strategies and policies being pursued by the development agencies, together with the ongoing commitment of Government to regional development will bear fruit in terms of delivering the maximum possible level of additional jobs.